World News

Grammys “Say Hello” to Iranian-American Duo as Iran Says “Goodbye” to “Indecent” Western Music Published January 14, 2006

Virtually at the same moment that Deep Dish, the Washington, DC-based DJ and production duo comprised of Ali “Dubfire” Shirazinia and Sharam Tayebi, have been nominated for a Grammy®, Western music’s highest award, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad placed a national ban on all Western and “indecent” music. It is assumed that Deep Dish’s work would fit into those classifications.

Their current Grammy nomination in the Best Dance Recording category is for “Say Hello,” included on their current album George is On released by Thrive Records. Deep Dish are from being newcomers to the Grammys as this is their fourth nomination. In 2002, they won their first Grammy in the Best Remixed Recording category for their work on Dido’s “Thank You.” This year, their presence is also felt in that same category as David Guetta is nominated for his remix of “Flashdance,” the first track released from George is On, “Flashdance” went on to become to become a Top 3 single on the UK charts and continues as international dance music favorite.

Over the course of their 14-year long partnership, Deep Dish have worked on high profile projects fom Madonna, The Rolling Stones, P. Diddy, Justin Timberlake, ‘N Synch, Janet Jackson, Depeche Mode, Beth Orton and many others while releasing a string of ground-breaking recordings of their own starting in 1999.

On the heels of this latest honor for Deep Dish, came Iranian President Ahmadinejad’s announcement on behalf of Iran’s Supreme Cultural Revolutionary Council of a ban on all Western music in the land of Shirazinani and Tayebi’s birth. In announcing the ban, the Council issued a statement that noted, “Blocking indecent and Western music from the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting is required," a reprise of the policies of Ayatollah Khomeini that were implemented following the revolution when Western music was outlawed as “un-Islamic.”

George is On includes Deep Dish’s lastest release, “Dreams,” a take on the Fleetwood Mac classic that includes newly recorded vocals by Fleetwood Mac’s own Stevie Nicks. It has just debuted on the DMC Buzz Chart in the UK at #1 and seems destined to propel Deep Dish and George is On to new heights just about everywhere in the world... except Iran